Bomb attack kills more than 40 near Iraq Shiite shrine

Abdelamir Hanun

A bomb blast near a Shiite shrine in the central Iraq city of Karbala killed at least 43 people on Monday, the city's police chief said.

The attack in Karbala came as US Vice President Dick Cheney visited Baghdad on a surprise trip and met several US and Iraqi leaders to discuss improvements in security across the country.

Brigadier General Raed Shakir said the attack near the revered Shiite shrine of Imam Hussein was a bomb blast and not a suicide attack by a female bomber as reported earlier.

"It was a bomb attack in which 43 people were killed and 73 others wounded," Shakir said at a news conference late Monday.

Karbala medical and police officials earlier said a female bomber detonated her explosives-laden near the shrine among a crowd of people.

"A bomb exploded in the Al-Muqhaiyam street and we have arrested a suspect. He is not from Karbala and we are investigating the attack," Shakir said.

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An AFP correspondent at the site said several ambulances and police vehicles ferried victims to hospital following the blast which occurred around 100 metres (yards) from the shrine, located in the centre of the city.

The correspondent said the powerful explosion ripped people apart, sending body parts flying. Many bodies were charred.

Salim Kadhim, spokesman for the Karbala health directorate, said seven Iranian pilgrims were among those wounded in the blast.